The Statistics and Census Service released results of the Employment Survey for the fourth quarter of 2008. Principal indicators such as the overall unemployment rate (3.3%), the unemployment rate of local residents (4.0%), etc. were published in January 2009.

Total labour force was 337,000 in the fourth quarter of 2008, with 326,000 being employed. The majority of the employed were engaging in Recreational, Cultural, Gaming & Other Services (23.7%) and Hotels, Restaurants & Similar Activities (12.9%).

Median monthly employment earnings of the employed population was MOP8,500 in this quarter, with median of those working in Recreational, Cultural, Gaming & Other Services amounting to MOP12,000; meanwhile, median monthly employment earnings of local employed residents stood at MOP10,000.

Number of the underemployed totalled 5,900, with 80.3% engaging in the Construction sector and 6.1% in Transport, Storage & Communications.

In the fourth quarter of 2008, the unemployed population was 11,000, of which 17.2% (1,900) were fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job; meanwhile, 82.8% were those unemployed searching for a new job. Analysed by industry previously engaged, 25.9% had worked in Recreational, Cultural, Gaming & Other Services and 17.5% in the Construction sector.

With regard to the educational attainment of the unemployed, 29.7% had primary education or lower, 31.5% had junior secondary education and 20.6% had senior secondary education.

For 2008 as a whole, median monthly employment earnings of the employed population was MOP8,000 and that of local employed residents stood at MOP9,500.